Google’s $100K ‘stamp of approval’ for PlaBook reads like validation for KC-built edtech startup
Kansas City expatriate PlaBook is set to receive $100,000 from Google’s initiative to provide funding to Black-led startups. But for Philip Hickman, it’s not just about the funding, he said. It’s also a credibility boost. “We were happy to receive an investment from Google,” the edtech startup founder said. “It’s a stamp of approval to…
Read MoreKC’s first Hispanic beer company craft-brews conversations beyond stereotypes
Defining his own cultural identity has been a lifelong struggle for Damon Arredondo, the longtime brewer said. Coming from a mixed-cultural background, Arredondo often felt as if there was “a checklist” that decided whether or not he was able to identify with his heritage, he shared. “Only recently in the last five year have I…
Read MoreVeteran entrepreneur finds security in pizza, opening new Rosati’s in south Overland Park
Bob Ring sold his homegrown company of 25 years — then got a job delivering pizzas. All part of the recipe for the longtime Kansas City businessman who — despite his decades of experience — initially found banks hesitant to lend to him during the pandemic as he worked to open his own pizzeria in…
Read MoreCamel Culture tastes like home: How a Missouri dairy’s milk fills a void when everything else seems foreign
Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. MILLER,…
Read MoreFund Me, KC: Her startup has outgrown its puppy phase; now’s your chance to feed its potential
Startland News is continuing its “Fund Me, KC” series to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses or lend a helping hand to others. This is an opportunity for business owners and innovators — like Jonaie Johnson’s effort to publicly launch the highly-anticipated PlayTach smart dog crate attachment by Interplay — to share their…
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